Acetylene-gas machine.



PATENTED NOV. 21, 1905.

J. F. PHILPOTT;

AGETYLENE GAS MACHINE.

APJPLIOATION FILED MAY 19, 1905.

E w m m 41 b ziltil w w WW Y MW p IIYIWMIIIIEIIII l n J 1 u 9 M, d 4 Z4 W l UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ACETYLENE-GAS MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented. Nov. 21, 1905.-

Application filed M y 19,1905. Serial No. 261,256.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, JEFFERSON F. PHIL- POTT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Windsor, in the county of Sonoma and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Acetylene-Gas Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an apparatus for the production of acetylene gas.

It consists in the combination and arrangement of parts whereby a limited amount of calcium carbid is intermittently delivered into. a body of water, and the released gas is transferred to a gasometer thence transmitted to a point of use.

It also comprises details of construction which will be more fully explained by reference to the accompanying drawing, in which the figure is a central vertical section of my apparatus.

It is the object of my invention to provide a compact portable gas generating apparatus comprising a receptacle superposed above a water-chamber and in conjunction with an open-bottom gasometer movable in a circumferential liquid seal and in conjunction therewith of an automatically-operating valve, whereby the dry carbid will be delivered into the water in small quantities and at intervals dependent upon the rapidity with which the gas is consumed.

A is a chamber here shown as cylindrical in shape and having the bottom in the form of a segment of a cone hermetically connected with the sides of the chamber and convergent to the apex which is at the lowest point of one side, where it connects with an escape-passage, as at 2, through which the contents of this portion of the chamber may be drawn off or washed out at any time. Within this chamber and above and extending upwardly from the bottom is an annular wall 3 of smaller diameter than the interior of the chamber A, and this interior cylinder is fixed within the chamber A, so that the annular channel formed between the two will serve to contain an independent body of liquid, which forms the seal for the gasometer 4, the lower edges of which are submerged in the water of the seal. The interior chamber is supplied with a body of water in which the calcium carbid is dropped from time to time and by which the gas is liberated, and as it accumulates it serves to fill the gasometer and to lift the latter within its seal in the usual manner. By thus separating the sealing liquid entirely from that which is employed to generate the gas I prevent any of the carbid from being thrown out into the path of the gasometer and prevent it getting into the sealing-water liquid or from being carried up between the gasometer and its tank.

Mounted upon the top of the gasometer is a carbid-chamber 7. This chamber is conical in form, and its lower contracted end meets and passes through the corresponding upper contracted dome of the gasometer, and it has a tubular extension 9 within the gasometer, so. that there may be an opencommunication between the carbid-receptacle and the water-chamber located in the bottom of the apparatus. This water-chamber is here shown as having a convergent roof or top with a downwardly-projecting flange around the central opening, as shown at 8. By this construction if the apparatus is carried upon any movable vehicle or is liable to considerable agitation the contained water will not splash over and out of its proper place. The pipe 9, leading from the bottom of the receptacle 7, extends far enough to'guide any carbid released from its receptacle and cause it to flow through the flanged opening 8 and into the water-chamber below where the gas will be liberated.

In order to control the supply of carbid, I have shown a valve 10, which is closable upon an annular seat surrounding the discharge-opening of the carbid-chamber. I have shown the valve in this case as having substantially flat or concave bottom with a peripheral edge which will sufficiently close upon the seat to prevent passage of the car bid when the valve is closed. The upper portion of the valve forms an elongated cone, which extends still further in a substantially cylindrical form. The valve is of sufficient Weight to remain seated when not otherwise open. The cylindrical upper portion of the valve serves as a guide movable in a tubular cap 11, which screws upon the top of the carbid-chamber and forms a seal and closure therefor after it has been filled. This tubular cap is of sufficient length and cylindrical in shape to also form a guide for the rising and falling gasometer, slidable through a transverse bar 11 in the upper part of the chamber A, said bar having a hole or opening within which the cap is slidable. The valve 10 has a stem 12 extending centrally acted upon and gas will evolve again to fill and raise the gasometer. This operation will continue constantly until all the carbid has been exhausted from the chamber or the operation otherwise checked.

In order to regulate the amount of lift of the valve or the point at which it rises to allow of carbid to pass, the stem 12 is shown as passing through the valve 10 and having a screw-threaded head. 13 upon the upper end. This head has a thumb-piece or other convenient means by which it may be turned and the stern can thus be moved up or down with relation to the valve and a desired result attained.

Water is supplied to the interior chamber through a pipe or passage, as shown at 15, and this connects with a segmental pipe 16, curved horizontally around the interior of the generating-chamber and having numerous perforations made on the inner concave surface through which the water passes into the chamber. This pipe is located on the opposite side from the lower and discharge end of the cone-shaped bottom, and when the chamber is to be washed out and cleaned the pipe or passage 2, which connects with the apex of the cone being open and the water allowed to discharge through the spray-pipe will wash out and cleanse the interior of the chamber. This pipe 2 extends out and has a downward-discharge opening on its lower side, and it ext-ends a little beyond this opening and is screw-threaded interiorly. In the screw-threaded portion fits a screw-plug 1.7, having a suitable turning-handle upon the outside and a blade 18, extending from its inner end into the generating-chamber. The object of this fiat blade is to break up and agitate any residue or material which may have become more or less solidified in the bottom of the chamber, and thus open a passage for the discharge.

The inner end of the screw-plug is made conical or of such shape as to seat and form a tight joint when closed. The screw-plug is slightly tapering, the inner or seat end being of the largest diameter and the outer end smaller, so that when the plug has been turned in to nearly reach its seat it will be a little loose, and will thus allow sufficient movement of the valve to properly seat itself.

When the plug is turned sufficiently to expose the discharge-opening 17, the larger diameter of the threaded portion will have arrived in the smaller diameter of the socket,-

in which it is turnable, and will thus be slightly tighter in its seat and will prevent leakage in this direction.

The conical shape of the upper part of th valve 10 serves when the valve is lifted to loosen and disturb the surrounding carbid and insure its flowing through the opening when the valve is lifted.

The top of the case A is hermetically closed, and in order to allow a free movement of air as the gasometer rises and falls I have shown a vent-pipe 19 opening into the side of the case, and this pipe'has a vertical extension 20 connecting with the gas-outlet pipe.

20 and a controlling-cock 21. This is used when the gasometer is to be filled for the first time. By opening the cock 21 the air in the gasometer will be expelled by the inflow of gas until the gas is pure enough to be allowed to pass into the main for'use, after which the cock 21 may be closed.

Any desired or known form of purifier may be connected between the gasometer and the distributingmain, as shown at 23.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an acetylene-gas generator, devices, including an exterior case, a gasometer and a liquid seal within the case, an independent central generator-chamber, a carbid-chamber superposed upon the gasometer in line above the generator, said carbid-chamber being mounted upon the top of the gasometer and having a vertical extension and said exterior case inclosing both the gasometer and carbid-chamber and having an internal guide for said extension and means actuated by the rise and fall of the gasometer to intermittently discharge carbid into the generator.

2. In an acetylene-gas generator, an exterior case, an internal gasometer and li uid seal therefor, a central generating-cham er, a carbid-chamber superposed upon and carried by the gasometer in line above the generator-chamber and rovided with a vertical top extension, a va ve normally closing the discharge of the carbid-chamber, and a rod or stem carried by the valve, said case having a fixed guide for said extension and rod acting to open the valve when the gasometer sinks.

3. In an acetylene-gas generator, a case having an internal guide, an internal gasometer and annular liquid seal, a centrally-disposed generator-chamber with an opening at the top, a carbid-chamber superposed upon the gasometer and having a discharge-passage in line with the generatoropening, said carbid-chamber having a bottom converging to the dischargeopening, and having a ver- IIO tical extension at its top adapted to fit said internal guide, a valve closable upon said discharge, and a contact device carried by the valve, and acting to intermittently open and close the valve in unison with the movement of the gasometer.

4. In an acetylene-gas generator, a case having an internal guide, an internal gasometer and annular liquid seal therefor. a central generator-chamber extending up into the gasometer, having a dome-shaped top; a central opening and a flange depending from the periphery of the opening, a carbid-chamber having a tubular extension registering with the generator-chamber opening, said carbidholder having an extension above its top fitting the internal guide of the case, a controlling-valve, and means carried by the gasometer to open and close the valve in unison With the sinking and rising of the generator.

5. In an acetylene-gas generator, an exterior case having an internal fixed guide, an inclosed gasometer, an annular channel containin a liquid seal, an independent centrallyoeated generating-chamber, a conical carbid-chaniber carried by and movable with the gasometer, and having a central discharge through the gasometer into the generator, said carbid-chamber having, also, a centrally-located extension above its top adapted to fit said guide, a gravity-valve controlling the passage from the carbid-chamber to the generator, said valve having its upper portion made conical and extending upward into the carbidchamber.

6. In an acetylene-gas generator, an exterior case, an inclosed gasometer, an annular li uid seal therefor, an interior generatingcham er, a carbid-charnber carried by and movable with the gasometer, a central passage from the carbid-chamber through the gasometer to the generator and an automatic controlling-valve therefor, a closed tube extending from the gasometer into the carbidchamber, and a fixed discharge-pipe extendinto the tube and having an open upper 7. In an acetylene-gas generator, an exterior case having an internal fixed guide, an inclosed gasometer, an annular liquid seal therefor, an interior generating-chamber, a carbid-chamber carried by and movable with the gasometer, said carbid-chamber having a cap with a vertical extension fitting the fixed guide of the exterior case, a central passage from the carbid-charnber through the gasometer and registering with the opening in the generator-chamber, a vertically-movable valve controllingthe passage from the carbid-oharnber, a stem carried by the valve, a fixed contact by which the valve is. opened when the gasometer sinks, and means for adjusting the stem and varying the opening'of the valve.

8. In an acetylene-gas generator, an exterior case, an inclosed gasometer and annular liquid seal, an interior generating-chamber, a carbid-chamber carried by and movable with the gasometer, a cap for said chamber having a vertical extension, and a fixed guide through which said extension is slidab e.

9. In an acetylene-gas generator, an exterior case, an inclosed gasometer and annular liquid seal, an interior generating-chamber, a carbid-chamber carried by and movable with the gasometer, a tubular cap upon the carbid-chamber and a fixed guide through which it is slidable, a passage leading from the carbid-chamber to the generator, a gravity-valve controlling the passage, said valve having a stem slidable in the tubular cap of the chamber and guiding the valve.

10. In an acetylene-gas generator, a rising and falling gasometer and a carbid-chamber carried thereby and having a central opening, a vertically-movable valve controlling said opening, a tubular guide within which the guiding end of the valve is slidable, said tube forming a cap for the carbid-chamber, and a fixed guide within which said tube is independently slidable.

11. In an acetylene-gas generator, an exterior case, an inclosed gasometer and annular liquid seal, an interior generating-chamber, a carbid-chamber carried by and movable with the gasometer, a central passage from the carbid-chamber to the generator, and a controlling-valve, a tube extending from the gasometer into the carbid-chamber, a fixed pipe extending into the tube and serving to conduct the gas from the apparatus.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JEFFERSON F. PHILPOTT.

Witnesses:

Row. G. SHAW, WILLI M J. MoORAoKEN. 

